Top Five Chris Pratt Performances
For those of readers living underneath a rock, there's a small independent science fiction coming to theaters near you. Perhaps you've heard of Guardians of the Galaxy, Volume II? A sequel to the massively successful Guardians of the Galaxy in 2014, Volume II further explores one of the movie's standout characters- Chris Pratt's Star-Lord. Although it also served as a great springboard for Dave Bautista, it was Pratt who truly grew out of his shell in the film. In honor of that, here's a tribute to one of the most talented actors of the new decade. No. 5: "Emmet Brickowski" (The LEGO Movie, 2014) - Dir. by Phil Lord, Chris Miller As a film in whole, there are several problems with The LEGO Movie, but what is not a problem is the pure energy and hilarity Chris Pratt brings with his voice. Perfectly selling the average everyman that stumbles, figuratively and usually literally, into adventure after adventure, Pratt lets his natural comedic timing and genuine heart do most of the work for him. Every moment spent with Emmet allows the film to fall into place in ways it really should not. Best Scene: "You don't have to be the bad guy." No. 4: "Scott Hatteberg" (Moneyball, 2011) - Dir. by Bennett Miller What few remember about this modern leading man is that Pratt knows perfectly how to fall into an ensemble. As the broken down and permanently injured MLB catcher Scott Hatteberg, Pratt pulls the reins on most of his charm and hilarity to give a much more humble role than expected. He's not grandstanding, nor is he cocky or too nervous. Rather, Pratt sells his scenes and gives viewers a player to root for. While Hatteberg may not be an important character in the grandest scheme of things, Pratt makes him a more than important detail. Best Scene: "OK, well, I only ever played catcher." No. 3: "Peter Quill/Star-LOrd" (Guardians of the Galaxy, 2014) - Dir. by James Gunn Oozing charisma and a devil-may-care attitude, Peter Quill is the definition of a fun, modern hero. Standing out among the best of the superheroes portrayed in the new millennium, Pratt not only does justice to the original comic book character but uniquely defines it as his own. While Pratt easily sells the more dramatic moments of the film, its in the lighthearted banter and epic action scenes that prove Pratt's ability to save the galaxy. Best Scene: "Come and Get Your Love" No. 2: "Andy Dwyer" (Parks and Recreation, 2009-2015) - Dir. by Various Who doesn't love the goofball and man-child of this defining sitcom of the 2010's? While he's hardly the smartest or toughest character in the crew, with Nick Offerman's Ron Swanson and Aziz Ansari's Tom Haverford remaining fan favorites, Dwyer makes up for it in his heart and humor. Every moment with him onscreen brings a smile to one's face, and often pulls on the heartstrings alongside his wife in the show, Aubrey Plaza's April. Best Scene: "But if you think for one second I'm not also gonna get that marshmellow shooter, so I can shoot you in the face with marshmellows while you're asleep, then you're the dumbest woman I know." Honorable Mentions *"Justin" (Zero Dark Thirty, 2012) - Dir. by Katheryn Bigelow *"Paul" (Her, 2013) - Dir. by Spike Jonze *"Owen Grady" (Jurassic World, 2015) - Dir. by Colin Trevorrow *"Nick Banaszak" (Mom, 2017) - Dir. by James Widdoes *"Joshua Faraday" (The Magnificent Seven, 2016) - Dir. by Antoine Faqua No. 1: "Jim Preston" (Passengers, 2016) - Dir. by Morten Tyldum Pratt manages to bring both his traditional charm and humor to "Jim Preston", but also shows a very dark and complex side we've very rarely seen from the actor. The first act is particularly strong for Pratt, with him expressing so much emotion with little more than silence and his eyes. He absolutely sells whatever the script needs him to, and then some. Communicating incredibly well with just his eyes and facial expressions, Pratt proves himself as more than a pretty face for this role. Best Scene: "We woke up too soon, 90 years too soon." Category:Top Five